A Maryland resident recently joined the multidistrict litigation against testosterone products manufacturer, AbbVie, alleging that the company’s testosterone products Androgel and Axiron led to serious side effects, including a heart attack.

Plaintiff Franklin C., began taking two separate testosterone products, Androgel and Axiron, during a one-year period from 2012 to 2013, as prescribed by his doctor. Franklin discontinued his use of the testosterone products in November 2013, a few months after suffering a myocardial infarction or heart attack.

In his complaint, Franklin alleges that use of Abbvie’s testosterone products directly caused his heart attack and that the company failed to warn him and his physician of the risk of heart attack associated with both Androgel and Axiron. Not only can a heart attack cause physical damage and place a patient’s life at risk, but they can also deeply affect a person’s personal and professional life, the lawsuit claims.

Franklin filed his lawsuit on multiple counts, including design defect, failure to warn, negligence, and consumer protection, among others.

Testosterone Products Basics

Testosterone products are often thought of as necessary for men lacking sufficient levels of testosterone. However, a man whose testosterone levels are low one day may have completely normal levels of testosterone on any other day. Testosterone levels vary due to a variety of factors.

While it is normal for testosterone levels to fluctuate from day to day, or even hour to hour, many men do not know this and believe that testosterone products are necessary even when their testosterone levels are generally normal.

A January 2014 study published in the medical journal PLoSOne on testosterone drug safety revealed that the risk of heart attack may be a testosterone side effect.

In fact, the study revealed that the use of testosterone products may double the risk of heart attack in men 65 years old or above, as well as for younger men who have a prior history of heart disease.

Another study, this one done in 2015 and published in the journal Pharmacotherapy, suggested that men who use testosterone products for the first time may have a 40 percent greater chance of suffering a heart attack compared to men who did not use testosterone products.

Testosterone Products Lawsuits

According to testosterone lawsuits, drug manufacturers like AbbVie have a duty to warn the public and the medical community of the risk of serious medical conditions associated with their testosterone products such as heart attack.

Due to similar claims, testosterone products lawsuits have been centralized into multidistrict litigation in Illinois federal court.

The plaintiffs in these testosterone lawsuits similarly allege that AbbVie and other testosterone drug companies did not provide adequate warnings of potential side effects, and further allege the drug makers failed to update label warnings once they drugs were released to market, even though they were given product surveillance information and medical research data

If you or someone you love has taken testosterone products such as AndroGel or Axiron and has suffered from serious side effects or complications such as heart attack, you may be eligible to file a testosterone lawsuit.

The Testosterone Products Lawsuit is Case No. 1:16-cv-02684, in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois.